ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pit — a hole
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chest — of your body
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chest — a box
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. can — to be able to
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — music
  24. pass — to succeed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com